Obama shortens terms for 214 prisoners; 67 had life sentence

by JOSH LEDERMAN, Associated Press

President Obama granted the commutation of sentences to 214 people on Wednesday, including a local man from Hartsville. (MGN graphic)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday cut short the sentences of 214 federal inmates, including 67 life sentences, in what the White House called the largest batch of commutations on a single day in more than a century. (The full list is available below.)

Almost all the prisoners were serving time for nonviolent crimes related to cocaine, methamphetamine or other drugs, although a few were charged with firearms violations related to their drug activities. Almost all are men, though they represent a diverse cross-section of America geographically.

Obama's push to lessen the burden on nonviolent drug offenders reflects his long-stated view that the U.S. needs to remedy the consequences of decades of onerous sentencing requirements that put tens of thousands behind bars for far too long. Obama has used the aggressive pace of his commutations to increase pressure on Congress to pass a broader fix and to call more attention to the issue.

All told, Obama has commuted 562 sentences during his presidency — more than the past nine presidents combined, the White House said. Almost 200 of those who have benefited were serving life sentences.

"All of the individuals receiving commutation today — incarcerated under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws — embody the president's belief that 'America is a nation of second chances,'" White House counsel Neil Eggleston wrote in a blog post.

Eggleston said Obama examines each clemency application on its specific merits to identify the appropriate relief, including whether the prisoner would be helped by additional drug treatment, educational programming or counseling. He called on Congress to finally pass a criminal justice overhaul to bring about "lasting change to the federal system."

Presidents tend to use their powers to commute sentences or issue pardons more frequently at the end of their presidencies, and Obama administration officials said the rapid pace would continue during Obama's final months.

"We are not done yet," Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates said. "We expect that many more men and women will be given a second chance through the clemency initiative."

Most of those receiving commutations Wednesday will be released December 1.

Though there's broad bipartisan support for a criminal justice overhaul, what had looked like a promising legislative opportunity for Obama's final year has mostly fizzled. As with Obama's other priorities, the intensely political climate of the presidential election year has confounded efforts by Republicans and Democratic in Congress to find consensus.

Obama has long called for phasing out strict sentences for drug offenses, arguing they lead to excessive punishment and incarceration rates unseen in other developed countries. With Obama's support, the Justice Department in recent years has directed prosecutors to rein in the use of harsh mandatory minimums.

The Obama administration has also expanded criteria for inmates applying for clemency, prioritizing nonviolent offenders who have behaved well in prison, aren't closely tied to gangs and would have received shorter sentences if they had been convicted a few years later.

Civil liberties groups praised that policy change but have pushed the Obama administration to grant commutations at a faster pace. The Clemency Resource Center, part of NYU School of Law, said more than 11,000 petitions are pending at the Justice Department and that the group believes 1,500 of them meet the administration's criteria to be granted.

But the calls for greater clemency have sometimes sparked accusations from Obama's opponents that he's too soft on crime, an argument that is particularly resonant this year as presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton trade claims about who is best positioned to keep the country safe.

"Many people will use words today like leniency and mercy," said Kevin Ring of the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums. "But what really happened is that a group of fellow citizens finally got the punishment they deserved. Not less, but at long last, not more."

On Wednesday, the President made grants of commutation of sentences to the following 214 individuals:

• Timothy Adams – Hartsville, SC

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine base (crack); Middle District of North Carolina

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 360 months' imprisonment.

• Asher Adkins – Columbia City, IN

Offense: Distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting (two counts); distribution of methamphetamine (three counts); use or carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime (two counts); distribution of more than 100 grams of methamphetamine (two counts); Northern District of Indiana

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base, aiding and abetting; Southern District of Texas

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months' imprisonment.

• David Bell – Miami, FL

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base (three counts); Southern District of Florida

Offense: Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; conspiracy or attempt to manufacture methamphetamine (two counts); establishment of a manufacture operation; possession of a listed chemical (two counts); District of Utah

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute heroin and cocaine; felon in possession of firearm; possess with intent to distribute heroin, aiding and abetting; District of Maryland

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record; Middle District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine; possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine (two counts); Eastern District of Missouri

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 228 months' imprisonment.

• Mark Anthony Clark – Rockford, IL

Offense: Conspiracy; possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting; possession with intent to distribute amphetamine; possession of a firearm by a felon/fugitive from justice and aiding and abetting; Northern District of Texas

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 262 months’ imprisonment.

• Jimmie Clyde Collins – Joshua, TX

Offense: Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute; possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting; using a drug involved premises and aiding and abetting; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; Northern District of Texas

Offense: Engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise; conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; distribution of cocaine base (two counts); possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine; Northern District of New York

Offense: Distribution of methamphetamine (two counts); possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (two counts); drug user in possession of firearm (two counts); Western District of Virginia

Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture phencyclidine; manufacture with intent to distribute phencyclidine, aiding and abetting; possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine; Central District of California

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; felon in possession of a firearm; Southern District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base; Northern District of Florida

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 262 months' imprisonment, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.

• Jose Del Valle – Philadelphia, PA

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting; Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 221 months' imprisonment.

• Thomas Duncan – Columbia, TN

Offense: Possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; felon in possession of a firearm; possession of five grams or more of cocaine base with intent to distribute; Eastern District of Tennessee

Offense: Conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, to wit: cocaine more than five kilograms; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, to wit: cocaine more than five kilograms; using a communication device to facilitate the commission of a felony; Western District of Texas

Offense: Conspiracy; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base and aiding and abetting; use and carry firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and aiding and abetting; Northern District of Texas

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 360 months' imprisonment.

• Ronald Evans – Norfolk, VA

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and a mixture containing cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute heroin (three counts); possession with intent to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing cocaine base (two counts); Eastern District of Virginia

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense; Northern District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine; possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; Northern District of Georgia

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 202 months' imprisonment.

• Alejandro Flores – Mission, TX

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; traveling in interstate commerce to facilitate a criminal activity; Northern District of Georgia

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 262 months' imprisonment.

• Raymond Fox – New York, NY

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base; Southern District of New York

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of cocaine base (crack); possession with the intent to distribute heroin; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; Eastern District of Missouri

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm in and affecting interstate commerce; Middle District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine; aiding and abetting to distribute crack cocaine; possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm; Western District of Missouri

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; Middle District of Florida

Offense: Unlawful distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base; unlawful distribution of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school (three counts); unlawful distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base (two counts); District of Columbia

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine hydrochloride and crack cocaine; possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine (two counts); Southern District of Georgia

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine and 50 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine base; Northern District of Oklahoma

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on December 1, 2016, and unpaid balance of the $10,000 fine remitted.

• Steven R. Hardy – Tampa, FL

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 50 grams of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 50 grams of cocaine base; Middle District of Florida

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 188 months' imprisonment and 10-year term of supervised release commuted to a four-year term of supervised release.

• Benjamin Harris – Dallas, TX

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute MDMA, cocaine and 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; Middle District of Louisiana

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base (three counts); Eastern District of Virginia

Offense: 1. Conspiracy to distribute cocaine; distribution of cocaine; 2. Conspiracy to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine; Central District of Illinois

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (two counts); felon in possession of a firearm; possession of an unregistered firearm (two counts); Northern District of Texas

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; Western District of Louisiana

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of cocaine base; distribute more than 5 grams of cocaine base; Western District of Virginia

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 160 months' imprisonment.

• Kenneth Lee Kelley – Westville, OK

Offense: Felon in possession of firearm after former conviction (two counts); possession of stolen firearm; attempt to manufacture methamphetamine (three counts); possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine; possesssion of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Eastern District of Oklahoma

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (two counts); using or carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm; Eastern District of Michigan

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance (cocaine); being aided and abetted by others, did unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally possess and cause to be possessed, with intent to distribute, a Schedule II controlled substance (cocaine); Western District of Tennessee

Offense: Conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine while aboard a United States vessel; Southern District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base, "crack cocaine"; distribution of a quantity of cocaine base, "crack cocaine" (two counts); possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base, "crack cocaine"; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of an unregistered firearm (incorrectly listed on the judgment as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon); Middle District of Florida

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; use of fiream during and in relation to a crime of violence; felon in possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers; District of South Carolina

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute and distribute five grams or more of cocaine base (two counts); possession with intent to distribute and distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of cocaine; Middle District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Northern District of Florida

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base and more than 5 kilograms of a mixture and substance containing cocaine; principal to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base; Northern District of Florida

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 180 months' imprisonment.

• Michael L. Moore – Mount Vernon, NY

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine; distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine; Eastern District of Virginia

Offense: 1. Use of a communication facility in the commission of a drug offense;

Eastern District of California

2. Conspiracy to manufacture and to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute; attempted manufacture of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; possession of a listed chemical knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; Eastern District of California

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession of firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime (two counts); distribution of cocaine; Eastern District of Missouri

Offense: Conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting the manufacture in excess of one kilogram of methamphetamine; possession and aiding and abetting the possession of ephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine (two counts); possession and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (two counts); District of Colorado

Offense: Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition (five counts); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a cocaine base (crack); possession with the intent to distribute cocaine; possession of crack cocaine; possession of marijuana; District of Delaware

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 188 months' imprisonment.

• Richard L. Reser – Sedgwick, KS

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of firearm while trafficking in drugs (two counts); possession of a firearm by a felon; distribution of methamphetamine; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; District of Kansas

Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine; conspiracy to distribute pseudoephedrine with knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance; distribution of pseudoephedrine with knowledge or reasonable cause to believe it would be used to manufacture a controlled substance and aiding and abetting; Eastern District of California

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of firearms; Northern District of Alabama

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) after having previously been convicted of a felony drug offense; felon in possession of a firearm; Northern District of Iowa

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base, aid and abet (three counts); felon in possession of a firearm; District of South Carolina

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on August 3, 2018, and unpaid balance of the $25,000 fine remitted, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.

• Jimmy L. Walden, Jr. – Morristown, TN

Offense: Possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base; possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine; possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana; Eastern District of Tennessee

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute cocaine and cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a protected area; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; Western District of North Carolina

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months' imprisonment.

• Dennis L. Webb – Washington, DC

Offense: Unlawful distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base (two counts); unlawful distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base (incorrectly listed on the judgment as cocaine); unlawful possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; District of Columbia

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine base; aiding and abetting the distribution of less than five grams of cocaine base (two counts); distribution of more than five grams of cocaine base (two counts); aiding and abetting the distribution of more than five grams of cocaine base (two counts); Eastern District of Arkansas

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride; possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and aiding and abetting; possession of cocaine base; Middle District of Alabama